About 30 people from the Atlantic Chapter area met during MLA
in Louisville to discuss old and new business. After a brief summary of the
events from our November 1999 meeting we talked about proposing our
"Breaking the Historical Sound Barrier" program to MLA's Best of
Chapters session and hope to bring Ward and Eric's talk to New York in 2001.

We agreed that outreach to students and paraprofessionals was important to
us. This will be one of the primary goals of our new membership committee
chaired by Carl Rahkonen. We also talked how best to use our chapter website,
newsletter, and listserv. Robert Freeborn will serve as communications
coordinator working with Brian Cockburn, webmaster, Kile Smith, newsletter
editor, and Alice LaSota, listserv owner.

With the support of our chapter, the Library of Congress has proposed that
MLA 2004 be held in Washington, DC. Conventions manager, Don Roberts will be
visiting DC in April to investigate conference hotel possibilities.

Jim Cassaro at the University of Pittsburgh will be hosting our next chapter
meeting on November 17th-18th, 2000. One of our sessions will feature music
collections in Pittsburgh. For those of you in our chapter area, we hope to see
you there.

Donna Fournier

Minutes of Business Meeting

The meeting was called to order by Chair, Donna Fournier at 7:30 p.m.
Donna called everyone's attention to the minutes of the fall 1999
chapter meeting. It was moved that the minutes be accepted. The motion
was carried

1. Chair's report

a. Donna reported that our attempt to propose the program featuring
Eric Wen and/or Ward Martson (held at the Fall 1999 Atlantic Chapter
Meeting) as a Best of Chapters program was unsuccessful. Everyone agreed
that we hoped to see it in the Best of Chapters program in 2001

b. Donna thanked all Chapter members for volunteering to serve on
various committees:

The Chair did not request a formal treasurer's report be submitted.
However, Cathy Dixon, Secretary/Treasurer, reported a balance of
$4599.54. At the fall meeting, 2000 (in Pittsburgh) a full report will
be submitted and will include a new balance including the cost of the
new Chapter buttons ordered by Carl Rakonen

3. Communications Committee Report

a. After discussion, it was decided that the newsletter will be
web-based, and sent to members via email. A questionnaire will be
distributed to determine the need for a hard copy printout.
b. The website can serve at least three purposes:

Communications, such as the newsletter and a chapter directory.

As a chapter brochure.

As a gateway to chapter resources, such as bibliographies or
pathfinders It was agreed that the first two purposes would
initially be our focus.

She will inquire about the possibility of subscribing the entire
membership in a batch process. The membership agreed it would be
useful to promote and publicize our Chapter through other listservs,
such as PLA and MLA, and local organizations, such as the Maryland
Library Association.

4. Membership Committee

Report Carl Rakonen reported that a new Chapter Directory was being
planned. It was suggested that the National Membership Committee could
send a list of chapter members if requested. It was mentioned that Betsy
Walker volunteered at the fall 1999 meeting to serve as a news gatherer
for the Pennsylvania region of the chapter. The committee is still
looking for a volunteer news gatherer from the old Chesapeake Chapter
region.

5. The next chapter meeting will be held in the Fall 2000
in Pittsburgh and would be a two-day session held on a Friday and
Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon would remain open for recreational
activity or those who had long distances to travel.

6. MLA 2004 John Newsome, at the Library of Congress, wrote a
letter to Paula Matthews inviting MLA to Washington, D.C. for the annual
conference in 2004.

7. Fall Chapter Meeting in 2001 will be held at the University
of Virginia. Several members requested that dates for fall chapter
meetings be determined and publicized at least as early as August of
that same year. All agreed.